hilift self recovery question

[hinmo24t]

when using a hilift for a winch/self recovery, do people put loops in their tow strap based on different distances stuck from a tree? i have a 30' strap and a 8' tree saver. id expect to hook the tree saver up to one side of the hilift, and the 30' strap to the moving piece of the hilift...but what happens if i am only 20' from the nearest tree? how to you account for distances less than 30'? i know relying on a hilift isnt the smartest, but does one have to be lucky enough to have a tree distance option perfect for their strap lengths, carry 3 different lengths or loop their 30' strap somehow to shorten it? thanks for the inexperience when it comes to this - trying to put together a recovery kit. so far i have a 3x30' strap 30k pound, an 8' tree saver, hitch mount shackle and two spare shackles, and a collapsible shovel... i am getting rock sliders for a hilift lift point btw.
Thanks,
Tom

 

[JAXJeremy]

when using a hilift for a winch/self recovery, do people put loops in their tow strap based on different distances stuck from a tree? i have a 30' strap and a 8' tree saver. id expect to hook the tree saver up to one side of the hilift, and the 30' strap to the moving piece of the hilift...but what happens if i am only 20' from the nearest tree? how to you account for distances less than 30'? i know relying on a hilift isnt the smartest, but does one have to be lucky enough to have a tree distance option perfect for their strap lengths, carry 3 different lengths or loop their 30' strap somehow to shorten it? thanks for the inexperience when it comes to this - trying to put together a recovery kit. so far i have a 3x30' strap 30k pound, an 8' tree saver, hitch mount shackle and two spare shackles, and a collapsible shovel... i am getting rock sliders for a hilift lift point btw.
Thanks,
Tom

In addition to my winch, I carry multiple straps in my offroad rig..at the end of the day it's better to have too much strap then not enough..if it were me and I was using the hi-lift I'd just wrap the strap around the tree to shorten it up enough..don't think a tree saver would be necessary in that case..

 

[hinmo24t]

In addition to my winch, I carry multiple straps in my offroad rig..at the end of the day it's better to have too much strap then not enough..if it were me and I was using the hi-lift I'd just wrap the strap around the tree to shorten it up enough..don't think a tree saver would be necessary in that case..

ahh good idea. so youd make a slip with 30' strap around tree then wrap it to take the range out to the hilift. then the other end of hilift youd run right to the shackle at vehicle or a chain or tree saver strap i take it? i bet i was confused because some vids i saw they preferred the hilift at the tree...i was confused on how the length of straps worked and two fixed objects (vehicle and tree) to work together...thanks

 

[techno]

I've had this situation once. To shorten the strap, we tied a figure-8-on-a-bight knot at the required length. We also put a large stick in the knot to make it easier to untie after loading the strap.
I've also seen people using chain, which is easy to adjust the length on.

 

[Bluesky 07]

I’m no expert but I read a suggestion to use the tree saver as a bridle so you can attach to both front recovery points on a 4th Gen. Makes sense to me.

 

[nevada]

I've had this situation once. To shorten the strap, we tied a figure-8-on-a-bight knot at the required length. We also put a large stick in the knot to make it easier to untie after loading the strap.
I've also seen people using chain, which is easy to adjust the length on.

we've used chains in the past. hell, back then, straps were hardly available, chain is all we had. but, they are nice for adjusting size.

 

[TowMeOut]

Step 1: Go get the Hi-Lift Off Road Kit
Step 2: Go get a 20' section of grade 43 or better 3/8" chain
Step 3: Read this article to get you started... https://www.roundforge.com/articles/hi-lift-jack-winch/ and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-8gFSOTxxA

Or...depending on who and where you are, get a $30 recovery strap and don't wheel alone, thereby skipping all 3 steps.

For me....I did all three steps and then ended up building a hidden winch mount and picking up a SmittyBilt winch on sale. The cost of the Hi-LIft plus the chain and OffRoad kit is maybe a third of the money invested in the winch setup. However, I believe the winch give me much, much more recovery options.

My truck still has plastic bumpers and no rock sliders so for lifting the Hi-Lift is kind of worthless. I've got the setup to connect to a stock wheel so I can lift a corner but trying to use this setup to actually change a tire would be misery (still need a jackstand or big log/rock to support the vehicle while the wheel is off.

The Hi-Lift is that awesome piece of gear that spends 99.9% of the time getting hauled around and then only gets pulled out because you paid for the darned thing.

My offroad kit is still pristine in the garage and I have used it to extricate some stuff around the house (a stump, a stuck drainage line). Sometimes you just can't get another vehicle into position to pull or your winch fails and the Hi-Lift is what you're stuck with.

Good Luck

 

[cloud]

Chain

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[dta1984]

Step 1: Go get the Hi-Lift Off Road Kit
Step 2: Go get a 20' section of grade 43 or better 3/8" chain
Step 3: Read this article to get you started... https://www.roundforge.com/articles/hi-lift-jack-winch/ and watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-8gFSOTxxA

Or...depending on who and where you are, get a $30 recovery strap and don't wheel alone, thereby skipping all 3 steps.

For me....I did all three steps and then ended up building a hidden winch mount and picking up a SmittyBilt winch on sale. The cost of the Hi-LIft plus the chain and OffRoad kit is maybe a third of the money invested in the winch setup. However, I believe the winch give me much, much more recovery options.

My truck still has plastic bumpers and no rock sliders so for lifting the Hi-Lift is kind of worthless. I've got the setup to connect to a stock wheel so I can lift a corner but trying to use this setup to actually change a tire would be misery (still need a jackstand or big log/rock to support the vehicle while the wheel is off.

The Hi-Lift is that awesome piece of gear that spends 99.9% of the time getting hauled around and then only gets pulled out because you paid for the darned thing.

My offroad kit is still pristine in the garage and I have used it to extricate some stuff around the house (a stump, a stuck drainage line). Sometimes you just can't get another vehicle into position to pull or your winch fails and the Hi-Lift is what you're stuck with.

Good Luck

Any pics or details on your hidden mount? It's on my project list to do at some point.

 

[TowMeOut]

I used these for inspiration:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...versal-winch-mounting-plate-hidden-winch.html

I didn't do a build thread or contribute but I did take a few pics I can share. Here are a few:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/256901-hidden-winch-what-fits.html

It's basically a HF winch plate and some 1/4" angle. Start cutting and drilling until you have what look like brackets and weld it together.

 

[cloud]

If you're going to add bull bars, like the ARB bumper. You can just hook up to the bars. I've been pulled out a few times by hooking a strap to the bars. I got towed down a mountain that way, about two miles.

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[dta1984]

I used these for inspiration:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...versal-winch-mounting-plate-hidden-winch.html

I didn't do a build thread or contribute but I did take a few pics I can share. Here are a few:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/256901-hidden-winch-what-fits.html

It's basically a HF winch plate and some 1/4" angle. Start cutting and drilling until you have what look like brackets and weld it together.

Perfect, thanks! Doesn't seem bad at all.